Belmont Changing Valleys

Moving Up in Competition

(St. Louis, MO) – Why is Belmont changing Valleys? The Bruins are moving up in competition. While nine seasons in the Ohio Valley have been beneficial for the Nashville-based school, moving up the Missouri Valley Conference will provide them with a larger platform, steeper competition, and the opportunity to make more money.

University President, Dr. L. Gregory Jones and Director of Athletics Scott Corley believe the change will enhance student-life and broaden BU’s national appeal.

Jones says it was time to take the next evolutionary step for Belmont athletics. After noting that Belmont is setting records in enrollment, that it was time for Belmont athletics to take ‘another step.’ Noting that athletics plays an integral role in growing a university, he made the announcement that Belmont would be joining the Missouri Valley Conference.

Virtually every speaker noted the accomplishments of legendary Belmont figures Betty Wiseman and Rick Byrd. Corley called Wiseman ‘Belmont’s Sister Jean.’

Corley, who was a basketball playing Bruin is excited about the challenges for Belmont’s student-athletes. The competition will be more difficult, but the rewards will be greater. Corley said playing in larger markets with greater media exposure would be great, but specifically the opportunity to have greater competitiveness would help the entire Belmont athletic department.

Changing Valleys – Basketball

In both men’s and women’s basketball, the MVC’s reputation and national measurements are far superior. Belmont will be taking a significant step up. While Bruin Athletics made a similar move to the OVC from the ASUN, it was taking a step up. It is again today.

Last season’s KenPom rankings ranked the Valley as the tenth best conference and the OVC as the 22^nd best nationally. There are 32 Division One conferences. After spending five years as an independent, Belmont spent 11 seasons in the ASUN and this year will be their tenth in the OVC.

When the MVC was looking into adding a team during the 2017 process, former President Dr. Bob Fisher  and Director of Athletics Mike Strickland believed Belmont owed it to the OVC to stay put. I’m told they didn’t even entertain an MVC offer, Fisher in particular, believing it lacked integrity to leave the OVC so quickly after joining.

Belmont’s N.E.T. ranking of 92 was the best in the OVC and would have been third in the Valley. While seven OVC teams’ KenPom rankings were above 200, just one Valley school had a number that high. In other words, once conference season began, Belmont had nowhere to build their national ranking, while Valley schools Loyola (10), Drake (43) and Missouri State (97) could continue to improve their rankings for post season play opportunities.

The NCAA’s N.E.T. ranking found five of the Valley’s women’s teams in its top 100 versus two in the OVC. Belmont was the best at a N.E.T of 64. That number would have been good for fourth in the Valley.

Because of those higher rankings, more teams play postseason basketball and the conferences collect larger NCAA shares of money, which is then distributed to the universities. Better basketball, means better opportunities, which means more money.

MVC Adding Belmont

Adding a prestigious university with great academics, in a trending city like Nashville and a solid athletic department sounds like an easy decision for Valley administrators. But adding just one team will present some adjustments.

First-year Commissioner Jeff Jackson says that Belmont changing valleys will be great for the league and for Bruin athletics. As a former coach at nearby Vanderbilt he noted his high regard for coach Byrd and for Belmont.

Jackson has only been on the job since July 1 and said this partnership came together very quickly. Missouri State President Dr. Cliff Smart is the head of the Valley’s expansion committee and he said he called Dr. Jones in mid August. That was followed by an early September visit to Belmont and a decision was unanimously approved by the Valley Presidents’ Council last week.

Drake President Dr. Marty Martin said that adding another high quality university and athletic program would make the Valley better than before. Quoting the Bible (Proverbs 27:17), Martin said ‘iron, sharpening iron’ would make Belmont better and the entire MVC better.

Jones, Smart and Martin all mentioned a growing momentum at Belmont and in the Valley and Martin said that would lead to a brighter day and noted the future landscape could be even brighter as they look at more opportunities.

Dr. Jones summed up the day by saying, “Belmont is on the move. Belmont athletics is on the move. The Missouri Valley Conference is on the move and Nashville is on the move.”

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